


sing a morning song

by fireflyslove



Series: Morning (Obsidian Trilogy) [2]
Category: The Obsidian Trilogy - Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory
Genre: F/M, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:13:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22383883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireflyslove/pseuds/fireflyslove
Summary: Kellen receives an unexpected visitor.Or:I attempt to stave off the bad things that come with finishing When Darkness Falls with more fic.
Relationships: Kellen Tavadon/Vestakia
Series: Morning (Obsidian Trilogy) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1611268
Kudos: 4





	sing a morning song

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back with more!
> 
> I wrote this instead of writing baby!Lyra meeting Cilarnen, which was an interesting choice because Cilarnen is best. 
> 
> ‾\\_(ツ)_/‾
> 
> Title from Lady Antebellum's 'Heart of the World'

-

“Go bother your Uncle Shalkan!” Vestakia said to her children in exasperated tones. 

Lyra grabbed Bastian’s hand, and hauled her brother out into the street, the sun glinting off the girl’s cherry-red hair. Bastian looked far more like their father than Lyra, who was the spitting image of Vestakia’s late mother. Bastian’s hair, though as curly as Lyra’s, was sandy brown shot through with sun-kissed highlights. They ran down the street toward the unicorn meadow, and Vestakia leaned out the door after them, shouting a warning to be home by dark.

She turned back, hand on the door to close it, when a woman appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. She was Human, and though these were still Elven lands, Humans were not so unusual now. 

“Hello,” the woman said. “I was hoping you could point me in the right direction.”

The woman was elderly, her hair gone grey and fine lines covering her face, but her face bore the marks of High Hills breeding. She wore sturdy travelling clothes, and carried a pack and a stout walking staff that Vestakia had no doubt had seen use as a weapon on multiple occasions.

“What are you looking for?” Vestakia asked. 

“I was told that there was a place of refuge for Wild Mages here,” she said. 

“There is,” Vestakia said. “It’s just down the valley. I’ll take you there if you wish?”

After the Flowering, the Elves had granted all Wild Mages safe passage on their lands, and there was a sort of nascent school in Sentarshadeen where Wild Mages could come to share knowledge. It was nothing formal, but it kept Kellen busy when he wasn’t beating packs of Elven children with the flat of a wooden practice blade. 

“That would be a great help,” the woman said with an audible sigh of relief. 

Vestakia pulled her boots on, and shut the door behind her. “I’m Vestakia, by the way.”

“Alance,” the woman said, holding out a hand. 

Vestakia shook it, the woman’s name sounded oddly familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. In fact, the woman’s face was familiar. They walked down the street, the children still in sight, but running far ahead.

“They are your children?” Alance asked Vestakia after a few moments.

“Lyra and Bastian,” Vestakia said. She pressed a hand to her middle. “And their sibling.”

“I had two children, once,” Alance said. “A girl and a boy, just like you. But that was a long time ago. I often wonder what happened to them.”

Another flicker of intuition flitted through Vestakia’s mind, and she glanced out of the corner of her eye at the woman. If she tilted her head just  _ so _ …

The building that housed the Wild Mages’ lodge was in a pocket canyon near the one that held the House of Sword and Shield. The House of Wild Magic was a sturdy stone building that blended into its surroundings much as the rest of Elven architecture did, though it did not look as seamless as it would in a century or so, after the green had grown back up around it. Vestakia and Alance mounted the steps, and Vestakia pulled the ring on the front door to open it. It opened as if it weighed nothing, another feat of Elven engineering. 

A small group, mixed Human and Elven, stood in the open atrium that served as a foyer, and they looked up as the door opened. Vestakia recognized most of them, and she smiled at Kellen as his face broke into a grin. 

“Hello!” she said. 

Alance looked around warily, then said, “Hello.”

“Be welcome in the House of Wild Magic,” Kellen said. “I’m Kellen Tavadon.”

Alance started, and then, to everyone’s surprise, pulled Kellen into a tight hug. He stiffened against it, and Vestakia could see it was taking a great deal of effort for him not to fight the woman off. One did not grab a Knight-Mage without their consent, if one was wise.

Alance seemed to sense Kellen’s discomfort, and released him. “I apologize,” she said at once. “Perhaps... “ Tears seemed to well in her eyes, and she took a deep, bracing breath. “My name is Alance.”

Kellen went white as a sheet, and suddenly all the pieces fell into place in Vestakia’s mind. This was Kellen’s mother. 

“I thought you were dead,” Kellen said after a long moment. “Idalia said as much.”

“Is… is there somewhere we might talk privately?” Alance asked, glancing over Kellen’s shoulder at the knot of mages who were studiously not looking at them. 

Kellen gestured for her to follow him, and they went to a door at the back of the atrium. It was, Vestakia knew, Kellen’s study, though he rarely used it. He entered, Alance just behind him, and Vestakia followed, shutting the door behind her. 

Alance turned a questioning gaze toward Vestakia, then at Kellen. 

“Vestakia is my wife,” Kellen said. “Whatever it is you have to say to me, you can say in her presence as well.”

“Of course,” Alance said. “I… hmm… there is no good way to start.” 

Kellen cocked his head at her, an unreadable expression on his face. “I am familiar with the Wild Magic,” he said. 

Alance huffed a laugh, and shook her head, “Of course you are. It shaped your very existence. From the day my books came to me I knew my children were destined for a greater fate than mine. I was young when I went to the City of a Thousand Bells, younger than you are now. Idalia was born less than a year later. The details of how Lycaelon and I became involved are foggy to me now. I thought Idalia was to be the one with the Great Destiny, but it seems that was you.”

Kellen and Vestakia exchanged a glance, but said nothing. Alance continued.

“The day you were born the Wild Magic spoke to me. It told me that I would have to leave, and far sooner than I had ever intended to, without either of you. I had meant to leave as soon as Idalia was old enough to fend for herself. It would have been suicide and worse to try to escape Armethalieh with a young child. The Wild Magic promised you would both be safe, would both grow to adulthood and your own magic, but the price was my leaving you.

“And so I left in the dead of night, with only as much as I could carry on my back. I went deep into the wilderness, and dwelt there for decades, until the darkness drew me back to civilization. Imagine my surprise when I heard the tales of ‘Kellen Knight-Mage’. It took me more time than that to work up the courage to find you, and I hope, your sister. And here I find myself.”

She looked at him, evidently done with her story. 

“Idalia died,” Kellen said, the words clipped.

Alance blanched. “But she… so young…”

“She saved the world,” Kellen said. “It was her sacrifice that finally broke the power of Shadow Mountain.”

Vestakia opened her mouth to mention Idalia’s rebirth, but a minute shake of Kellen’s head stopped her. 

“The things I would have told her,” Alance said. “But no. You are still here, you are alive. I would tell you things, if you would listen.”

Kellen glanced over Alance’s head, and his brows knit. “I understand Mage Price, you know this. I am still paying prices from the War, myself. I think, in time, I can come to understand yours, but… you must know what this is for me.”

“I don’t,” Alance said honestly. “I can’t imagine what it’s like, but I can empathize. I will leave you, but I will remain in the city, if you do not object?”

Kellen smiled a bit. “I don’t object. If nothing else, Lyra and Bastian would benefit from knowing you. I believe you are their only living grandparent.”

Alance glanced at Vestakia. 

“My parents are both long dead,” she said, not wishing to give her full life story just yet.

“And Lycaelon?” Alance asked.

“I do not know,” Kellen said. “At Idalia’s funeral he was aged beyond his years and I have not inquired after him since. It would surprise me greatly if he still lived. Either way, I don’t wish my children to know him.” 

Alance nodded and rose. 

Vestakia, closest to the door, opened it for her. She followed Alance out, and shut the door behind them. 

“Alance,” she said. “He will come around.”

“I know,” Alance said. “He’s very much like me, I think.”

“Nallathien,” Vestakia called, and one of the older Elven children trotted over. “Nallathien, this is Alance. She will need quarters, as she will be staying in Sentarshadeen for a time.”

“I see you, Alance Wildmage,” Nallathien said. 

“I see you, Nallathien,” Alance said. 

“Follow me, please,” the child said, and led Alance away. Nallathien would take Alance to the quartermaster.

Vestakia turned back to Kellen’s study, and had her hand on the doorknob when he opened it. His hair was a riot, as if he had been running his hands through it. He pulled her inside, and into a hug, his face buried in her hair.

“What do I do?” he muttered.

He wasn’t looking for an answer, and she didn’t give him one for a long while, then, “You’ll figure it out.”

“I’m sure I will,” he said. “But not today.”

She smiled. “No, today you have to deal with Lyra’s latest mess.” She regaled him with the story of her morning, and by the end, his smile had returned. 

It would be all right, she thought. 

**Author's Note:**

> I can be found in questionable sewers @fireflyslove


End file.
